


Return to London

by AssassinEnigma



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Assassins, Assassins vs. Templars, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Cecily Frye - Freeform, Ethan Frye - Freeform, F/M, George Westhouse - Freeform, Teamwork, Templars, assassin’s creed - Freeform, crawford Starrick - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 06:11:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17198009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AssassinEnigma/pseuds/AssassinEnigma
Summary: London, 1847. London is firmly in the grasp of the Templars, under Grand Master Crawford Starrick. Three young Master Assassins were sent to London from Crawley with one goal in mind: Bring Starrick’s rule to an end and liberate London. Will they succeed in their mission?





	Return to London

The year of 1847 was a tumultuous time for the City of London. The capital of the mighty British Empire expanded in was never before imagined. Train stations and railway tracks began to dot and spread throughout the city, making it easier for people to get about the city in less time. All under the watchful eye of Queen Victoria. Factories that were scattered around the city began to push out remarkable amounts of freight to all corners of the world, despite the overworking of factory employees and the use of children in the workplace. Behind the churning gears of modernizing technology, the long standing war between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order carried on in the underground. The city of London has been a restricted zone to the Assassins, who have not had a presence in the city for over one hundred twelve years, since Edward Kenway's death at the hands of mercenaries hired by Reginald Birch. Ever since, the Templars held London with an iron fist. The fist strengthened under the Starrick Family, who had managed to have a presence in all key forms of London society, ranging from British politics to London's criminal underground. If the Assassins were to strike, this year would be the best chance they had in over seventy-five years, as the Templars ushered in Crawford Starrick, the youngest Grand Master in the history of the British Templars, who was only nineteen years of age. The Assassins out in Crawley caught wind of the news, and informed their best Master Assassins about this news.

* * *

 

Cecily Frye sat at the desk in her quarters, fidgeting around with her Hidden Blade. She is twenty-three years old, and was born in Cymmer, within the Rhondda Valley in southern Wales. She has long, elegant brown hair, done up in a braid around the crown of her head. Freckles dotted her face under her eyes. Cecily was sporting her Master Assassin Outfit, which consisted of a black and red overcoat that flowed to the back of her knees, accompanied with a black long sleeved shirt, breeches and knee high boots with heels. She was often the quiet one out of her and her husband, Ethan.

"Come on, damn you. Open!" Cecily exclaimed, continuing to fidget with the mechanism, which eventually sprung out, making her jump a little bit.

"Scare you a bit, Cecily?"

She whirled around to see her husband Ethan, in his navy blue, gold, and white robes, with the crest of the Assassins on his shoulder, and as well as on his Assassins Gauntlet. Ethan was a tall man with a stocky build, same age as Cecily, who had brown hair that flowed down to his shoulders to go with a light brown beard. Cecily always thought Ethan looked handsome in his robes, like a true gentleman, or better yet, a captain of the British Navy.

"A lot less than you did just now." Cecily replied sarcastically, kissing Ethan on the cheek. Ethan sat down as Cecily began to polish her blade. "What are you up to?"

"I come with news. The Council wishes to speak to us and George about a mission."

George Westhouse was one of Ethan's closest friends. Cecily remembers fondly the day that her and Ethan rescued him from the riverbank after he got robbed. From that moment on, Cecily and Ethan invited him to join the Assassins, an offer he accepted. The three of them ran missions in Crawley and the neighboring towns together as a well-knit unit, sharing a chemistry like no other Assassins within the Brotherhood. Her and Ethan earned the rank of Master Assassin in March of 1844, whereas George earned his rank of Master Assassin in the August of 1845.

Cecily's ears perked up as soon as Ethan said the word mission.

"A mission, you say?"

"Right. Mentor Liam wants us in the main hall. Let's go Cecily!"

Ethan got up from his chair and darted to the main hall. Cecily calmly got up from her chair, and pushed it into the desk. She slid her Assassin Gauntlet onto her left wrist, and fastened the straps. Closing the door behind her, Cecily made her way over to the main hall.

The main hall was lit by candles hanging on the four cracked walls of the Goff mansion basement. The mansion itself was abandoned, as it was in use up until 1798, but the Assassins made use of the basement in 1822, after moving from Cambridge, and transformed it into their headquarters when they were exiled from London. Standing before them wearing black underneath their white cloaks were their Mentors, Liam Drake and Daniel Richardson. Liam Drake is a short Irishman with short red hair and a red goatee. Daniel Richardson was a posh British man, a rare sight in the town of Crawley, who wore a flat foldaway hat, covering his brown hair. He also frequented a tobacco pipe, especially during important meetings.

"Hello Ethan and Cecily." Liam greeted the couple. "Do you know where Mr. Westhouse is?"

"I told him to meet us in here, Mentor." Ethan reassured him. "He usually beats us here."

"Unusual for him to be late." Daniel stated, lighting his pipe.

"Here, Mentor."

All four heads turned around to see George, with his brown hair all messy. He was sporting his beige Master Assassin robes, with his Assassin gauntlet on his left hand. At his waist sat a large metal belt with a red sash underneath. His boots were on, but not fully tied up.

Cecily chuckled at seeing George trying to fix his hair.

"Now that the three of you are here, we can begin." Liam said, clearing his throat. "We have received word that the Templars have enlisted a new Grand Master in London."

"Who is he?" Cecily asked curiously.

"Crawford Starrick." Daniel added. "The son of Robert Starrick, the owner of Starrick Industries. Word is that he is striving to control every aspect of London society. He's even got ties to the criminal underground, relying on a gang called the Blighters to spread fear throughout the underground."

"We have decided to send the three of you to London, as our other Master Assassins have been sent to give aid to India." Liam continued. "You are to bring Starrick to an end, and report your successes to us. Understood?"

"Why are you sending three of us to London to go after Starrick?" George questioned, sounding confused. "He is only one Templar."

Daniel took a puff of his pipe.

"There's more to it." Daniel stated, setting his pipe down. "In London, within the Strand, lives the Templar named Gerald Darver. He is responsible for the drafting of children into the factories. He is rumoured to live off of Trafalgar Square."

Liam placed a letter into Ethan's hands. Ethan proceeded to pocket the letter, and nodded his head.

"There is also a rumour that Starrick has kept his personal information in a chest somewhere in a gang stronghold in the city." Liam stated sternly. "Find those, and you will most certainly find Starrick. That is why it will require three people."

George nodded his head, as his question had just been answered. Daniel placed three train tickets on the table. Cecily and Ethan looked down at the train tickets. "Here. Three tickets to London. Your train leaves in half an hour. You'd best hurry."

"What?" Ethan asked, sounding very confused.

"Why did you get these?" Cecily asked curiously.

"It's your way to London." Liam replied. "Go to the train station. Hurry!"

The three Assassins nodded their heads, grabbed their train tickets, and rushed up the rickety flight of stairs. George nearly tripped over his shoelaces as they were going up the stairs.

"Half an hour to get myself ready." George retorted, as he tied up his boots at the top of the stairs. Cecily was the next to reach the top, followed by Ethan at the back.

"Maybe if you wouldn't have slept in, you would have had time to get ready!" Cecily chimed sarcastically, as her and Ethan shared in a laugh. A sarcastic smile came across George's face as he finished tying up his right boot. Ethan opened the door, letting the morning sun enter the dilapidated building. Ethan held the door open for his wife to pass through first. Ethan allowed George to walk through, playfully exchanging punches as they walked out the door. Cecily looked at the two men with a confident smile.

"Race you to the train station, boys!"

Cecily darted off in the direction of the train station. Ethan and George looked over at each other, shrugged, rolled their eyes, and bolted after Cecily, in a hurry to catch their train to London.

* * *

 

Cecily, Ethan, and George stood in the Crawley train station, waiting for their train to arrive. The three Assassins arrived at the station with ten minutes to spare. Cecily arrived at 10:45, and Ethan and George caught up to her two minutes later. She looked over at the two young men, who returned sarcastic looks towards her, because she beat them to the station. Cecily returned her focus to her pocket watch, which read 10:50 on it. Looking back up, Cecily could see the train pulling into the station, sounding its horn, bringing life to the small train station. The train came to a stop right at the end of the station, with an attendant standing at the entrance.

"Tickets please!"

Cecily found her ticket right away, and presented it to the attendant. The attendant smiled at her, and allowed her board. She couldn't help but laugh at Ethan and George, who were fumbling through their pockets to find their tickets. The attendant was letting several people pass while Ethan and George were digging through their pockets. Cecily heaved a sigh of relief when the two men found their tickets. Both Ethan and George handed their tickets to the attendant, who allowed the both of them to pass. Ethan and George grabbed the two seats in front of Cecily. The train sounded its horn, and and began to slowly depart the Crawley train station. Cecily looked over to her husband while George looked out the window, watching the Crawley train station get smaller and smaller.

"London awaits." Cecily whispered, smiling at her husband. Before long, the Crawley train station disappeared from their sight, and the journey to London had officially begun.

* * *

 

The train whistle let out a loud cry as it entered Charing's Cross station, coming all the way from Crawley. As the train grinded to a halt, and off the train stepped Cecily Frye and her husband Ethan, and their friend and fellow Master Assassin, George Westhouse. The three Assassins paused for a few moments to take in the bustling sights and sounds of the large train station.

"This place is huge!" George exclaimed, looking around at the crowds. "Much bigger than the station in Crawley!"

Cecily looked around, searching for an exit. The place was so vast and large, such a huge improvement from the small town life of Crawley. Looking for an exit in the large train station was a challenge Cecily was looking forward to accepting. After looking around for a few moments, Cecily spied an exit over the heads of several people.

"There!" She exclaimed, pointing over to her left. Cecily led Ethan and George through the crowds of people, who were either looking to get onto a train or waiting for their relatives to arrive. Reaching the exit after navigating her way through the throngs of people felt like a burden was lifted off of her shoulders. George and Ethan managed to catch up to her, and stand by her side at the sidewalk.

"Well, where do we go from here?" George pondered, scratching his head. Ethan looked around confusingly. Cecily glanced over towards Ethan.

"Ethan, I remember you telling me Arbaaz had a residence within the Strand. Is that true?"

Ethan paused to think for a few moments.

"I do recall him saying he had a home not too far away from Charing's Cross." Ethan recalled, stroking his chin. "Let's head up to the rooftops, and see if we can get a better view."

Cecily and George nodded their heads in agreement, and watched as Ethan darted across the street. Cecily and George followed, and watched as Ethan planted his feet, and hoisted himself onto a ledge, and began climbing up the face of the building with incredible ease. Cecily was the next to go, following the path Ethan took. While she was climbing, Cecily reflected on the times her and Ethan would practice their climbing on buildings back in Crawley, along with running across the rooftops over the course of the night. Cecily arrived at the rooftop, and hoisted herself up without Ethan's assistance. Cecily turned around to see George's hand on the ledge of the roof. As he reached up, she grabbed his right hand and hoisted him up onto the roof. After dusting himself off, George joined Cecily and Ethan in taking in the view of the Strand. To their right was the famous Trafalgar Square, which commemorated the British victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. At the top of the large column stood Horatio Nelson, the commander of the British navy at Trafalgar. Beyond the square, Cecily could see the mighty River Thames, with ships sailing up and down its waters. Over to her left, Cecily could see the factories of Southwark, slowly suffocating London with their smoke. George looked over to Ethan.

"Find Arbaaz's flat yet?"

Ethan squinted at something in front of them.

"There." Ethan said, pointing out a building with a door on its roof. "Race you two there!"

Cecily felt a rush of air go by her as Ethan darted in the direction of the building. As Cecily turned around, she saw George dart right after Ethan, and watched for a few moments as the men darted across the rooftops.

 _Boys will be boys,_ Cecily thought to herself before entering a jog, which later turned into a full out sprint. Cecily felt a rush of adrenaline hit her as she leaped flawlessly from rooftop to rooftop, the cool London air blowing through her hair. Ethan and George were surprised to see her at their side just before the building. All three Assassins looked over to one another, before leaping simultaneously across the street below them, and each of them landing on the rooftop with their left foot. Ethan let out a deep breath.

"Yup, this is Arbaaz's place all right." Ethan stated, pointing at the glyph on the door. Cecily leaned in to examine it as well.

"How can you tell?" George asked, sounding confused. Ethan pointed at the glyph once again.

"That's called Aum, and in the Hindu religion it represents Brahman, the ultimate reality." Ethan informed George, who had a look of intrigue on his face.

"How do you know this?" George asked, his curiosity peaking.

"It's good to know have friends in the Indian Brotherhood, George." Ethan replied politely, before pulling a key out of his pocket, which he inserted into the glyph. After a quick turn to the left, the door opened. Ethan held it open for Cecily, who entered first, followed by George. Ethan entered last, closing the door behind him. The room they had entered was covered with a thick layer of dust. It was so thick, Cecily had to cover her mouth from inhaling it. Ethan led them to another door in the floor. He pulled it back after a few sharp tugs, and allowed Cecily to pass through again. Cecily was surprised to see that Arbaaz had grown so accustomed to living a lifestyle that of a British person, instead of his lifestyle in his native India. There were neatly kept bookcases, a coffee table, a stove, counters with dishes in them, and furniture, such as a chair and a love seat. Cecily heard a loud thud come from behind her. She turned around to see Ethan and George dusting themselves off.

"Good to see you two come through the roof without falling on each other." Cecily laughed, as the two men approached. "You have the papers Ethan?"

Ethan fidgeted around with his pockets for a few moments before finding them. "Here they are."

"Good."

Cecily watched as Ethan placed the papers on the table. Cecily picked up the note about the Templar they were looking for, and skimmed through it.

_Mr. Starrick,_

_I have taken the documents you have given me and locked them in a chest on Jacob's Island in Southwark. Have no fear, however, your documents will not be stolen, for it is under the guard of the Blighters, the most feared gang in London. They have told me themselves they will guard it in their stronghold with their lives, and can only be opened whenever I visit the stronghold. No rival gang and better yet, no Assassins will be able to intercept the documents._

_May the Father of Understanding Guide You,_

_Gerald Darver._

"Gerald Darver is our target." Cecily announced, placing the note on the table. Ethan and George looked up at her.

"What do we know about him, my love?"

Cecily returned a smile back to her husband.

"According to Mentor Drake, he has earned the rank of Master Templar." Cecily replied confidently. "Mentor Richardson has also stated that he is responsible for the increasing number of children working in factories."

"That's just sickening!"

"Just another reason to eliminate him, right my love?"

Cecily nodded her head in agreement.

"Where can we find him, Cecily?" George asked, flicking out his hidden blade.

Cecily paused for a few moments to think.

"I do recall hearing Mentor Drake speak of him back at the headquarters. He said that his home was rumored to be along Trafalgar Square." Cecily replied. "Let's check there first."

Ethan and George rose from their chairs, and placed their kukris in their sheaths on their right legs.

"Ready your weapons, you guys. We've got a Templar to hunt."

George and Ethan cheered loudly in unison, before Cecily calmed them down, and looked them both in the eye.

"Let's do this."

Ethan and George nodded their heads in agreement. George walked by, and opened the door, stepping out into the London evening. Ethan walked by Cecily, but stopped at the door, and waited for her to walk by. As she walked by, he planted a kiss on her right cheek. Shutting the door behind him, Ethan joined up with Cecily and George. The three Assassins made their way towards Trafalgar Square, eager to complete the first step in finding the ever so elusive Grand Master, Crawford Starrick.

* * *

 

Cecily, Ethan, and George walked through the bustling Trafalgar Square, looking out for their next target, a man who goes by the name of Gerald Darver. The man was a known figure around London and the Strand, contributing to the growth and prosperity of the borough. But he had a dark side however. Behind his positive figure, lies a dark side. He was the man responsible for prying children from their families and sending them to his factories, forcing them to work long hours with little pay. Cecily, Ethan, and George were here to bring him to justice, and to find a lead on Starrick that was in his possession. The three Assassins approached his house, Ethan and George peered into the window, and saw that there were no candles lit in his house.

"Damn it, no one is home!" George exclaimed angrily, as he kicked some dirt around. Cecily held her arm out to calm him down. A young woman opened the door. She looked like a housekeeper.

"Can I help you three?"

Ethan placed his hands behind his back and looked over to her.

"Do you happen to know where Mr. Darver is?" Ethan asked curiously. "We have an important message for him."

"He's down in his office at his iron works factory in Southwark." She replied, with a curtsy.

"Thank you madam." Cecily bowed her head. Ethan managed to hail a carriage by waving his arm. The carriage driver noticed him, and pulled up to the three Assassins.

"Where to, sir?"

"Darver Ironworks. In Southwark." Ethan replied, handing him a pouch of shillings.

"Consider it done." The driver replied, as Cecily and George hopped into the back of the carriage. Ethan followed suit and entered the carriage, sitting beside Cecily.

"Mr. Darver won't know what hit him." Ethan told everyone, as the carriage made its way slowly over the bridge. As they were on the bridge, a train tumbled past them on their left, sounding its horn as it passed. George looked out the window, watching as the train went across. After crossing the bridge, the carriage driver stopped them right in front of Darver Ironworks. This was a unique look for an iron factory. It's interior looked rather hollow, with two tall smokestacks standing at the front of it, with a glass roof. Inside, there were grown men and young children working their hardest to make sure the steel was as perfect as can be, despite the terrible working conditions. Ethan turned around to thank the carriage driver.

"Thank you again, sir."

"No problem, Mr. Frye."

Cecily smiled as a sign of thanks. The driver smiled back, before getting into his carriage and trotting off.

Ethan looked up at the two smokestacks, which were puffing out smoke constantly, slowly suffocating London with each puff.

"I wonder where Mr. Darver is." Ethan pondered, scratching his head. As both Ethan and George scoured the premises from afar, Cecily stood closer to the large open entrance, and pulled out a sketch of their target. After looking at the sketch for a few moments, she looked up, and spied a man wearing elegant black robes, and was sporting a Templar cross on his right shoulder. He was bald, and roughly around six feet tall, and holding a folder of papers he took into what looked like his office. Ethan and George came up to her, standing at her side.

"There he is. Gerald Darver."

"How will we get to him, Cecily?" George asked.

Cecily scoured the area, looking for any noticeable flaws and entry points. Cecily could see a ray of sunlight shine through the roof, indicating the presence of an entry point through the roof, and the most important thing was that there were no guards in front of his office. After devising a plan for a few moments, Cecily decided to bring her plan into action.

"Alright, here's the plan." Cecily stated, pointing at the smokestack before them. "You and Ethan hide outside his entrance, as there are no guards, but wait until I reach the smokestack base. I will strike through the open roof, and you will prevent him from escaping if he so chooses to."

"Which he won't." Ethan chimed in.

"Good. Then we will look for the key. You both understand the plan?"

Ethan and George nodded their heads in agreement, and watched as Cecily darted to the base of the building. Cecily began her climb, reaching for the nearest ledge and propping herself up, repeating this process several times until she reached the glass roof. She saw an opening in the roof, and peered through the glass, to see Gerald Darver pacing back and forth. She returned to the ledge of the roof, and signalled for Ethan and George to stand outside the office. Ethan returned a thumbs up, and began to walk inside, with George tailing behind him. Cecily could see the duo stand guard outside his office. Unsheathing her cane-sword, she leaped up onto the base of the smokestack, and peered in. Flicking out her Hidden Blade, she let out a deep breath, and with high precision, Cecily landed on top of Darver, who cushioned her fall. Pinning him down, she thrust her Hidden Blade and her cane-sword into the back of his neck. Ethan and George rushed into the room as Darver quickly went limp as the life passed out of his body. Cecily pulled out a small white handkerchief, closed his eyes, and wiped the handkerchief across the wound on his throat.

"Requiescat in Pace." She whispered, before rising back up to her knees and putting her cane-sword back into its sheath.

"Let's find that key, and quickly." Ethan stated, as him and George began to look around the room. Cecily looked through Darver's pockets, but failed to find the key. Ethan sifted through papers on the tables and shelving units. He started to feel disgruntled when he was unable to find the key. George on the other hand remained calm and composed while looking for the key. After opening several drawers with nothing but useless papers and knick-knacks, George opened the final drawer, finding something that caught his eye. Nestled in the drawer sat a golden key, which sported a Templar cross at its end.

"Found it!"

Cecily looked over towards George. Ethan flashed an approving smile.

"Well done, George!" Cecily exclaimed, patting him on the back. "Now that we have the key, we just have to look for this Jacob's Island stronghold, find the documents, and then we will have our location."

The trio walked out of Darver's office, and down the stairs to the left. The loud bangs and constant screams of grown men and children incurred feelings of hate in Cecily for those responsible. Upon exiting the factory, Ethan took a look around. "In order to find this stronghold, we need to know where in Southwark it is.

"Indeed." Cecily replied, looking around as well. "Let's ask that man over there. He looks like he knows a lot about the area."

Cecily pointed at a shopkeeper, who was selling his wares to passers by. Cecily approached the young shopkeeper, with Ethan and George in tow.

"Excuse me sir, do you know your way around this borough?"

"I most certainly do! I've spent my whole life in the borough of Southwark, so I know every nook and cranny of this district. What can I help you with?"

"Do you happen to know the location of Jacob's Island?"

The shopkeeper shuddered, eyes grown wide.

"Why would you want to go there, madame?" He questioned Cecily, his eyes still open wide and fear in his voice. "It is a haven of vermin and disease, not to mention the most fearsome gang in all of London, the Blighters, has claimed it as their stronghold, killing anyone who dare to trespass."

"We have important business to attend to there." Cecily replied sternly.

"Very well. It is east of here, resting on the south bank of the Thames. It is about a twenty-five minute walk from here. Best of luck on your business there!"

"Thank you." Cecily replied, bowing her head. Ethan and George bowed their heads as well, showing their thanks.

The shopkeeper returned a bow towards Cecily before carrying on with his business.

"I wonder if these Blighter chaps are as tough as the people say." Ethan pondered, as they carried on through the district of Southwark.

"Their bark is probably worse than their bite!" George replied jokingly, laughing along with Ethan.

 _Only one way to find out_ , Cecily thought, as each step they took led them closer to possibly finding the second clue leading to Starrick.

* * *

 

The afternoon sun shines down on the industrial district of Southwark, trying its best to penetrate the thick clouds of smoke coming from the factories. On the rooftops stood Cecily Frye and her husband Ethan, and their friend George Westhouse. They began surveying the area before them. George looked around the area with a disgusted look on his face.

"Jacob's Island. A Cesspool of shit and disease." George retorted, spitting on on the ground. "Shopkeeper is right on the ball with that one."

Cecily nodded her head in agreement. Jacob's Island was just as the shopkeeper had described it. A cluster of run down buildings, reeking of death and defecation. Cecily tried her hardest to endure the smell, but had to cover up her nose with her shirt, as did Ethan and George. Cecily began to survey the area for Blighters. The Blighters were easily distinguishable by their red jackets, and had a rough look about them. Cecily could see how they could be the toughest gang in all of London. She pointed at each Blighter as she counted them. Once she finished counting, she spied a chest in the building.

"There's eight of them. Four on the roof, two in the building, and two on the ground." Cecily stated, pointing at the rooftops on each side. "Must be a light watch. Ethan and George, take out all the Blighters on the perimeters. Once the coast is clear, I'll sneak in and obtain Starrick's documents. All clear?"

Ethan and George flicked out their hidden blades in agreement, before setting off to take out their respective Blighters. Cecily watched for a few moments before taking her opportunity at the chest in the building before her. After seeing Ethan and George take out the first Blighters successfully, Cecily knew it was her time to strike. She steadily ran down the slanted roof and leaped for the open window across the gap. She went through the open window, and rolled into the building, unbeknownst to the two Blighters in the room. Cecily quietly snuck up on the Blighters, and sank her Hidden Blade into the neck of the one on her left, and snapped the neck of the one on her right. She flicked her Hidden Blade back into the gauntlet, and pulled the key of Gerald Darver's out of her pocket. Approaching the chest, she inserted the key into her lock, and opened it. Cecily smiled as she grabbed the documents and placed them in her pocket. As she did, she heard the scream of a man. Cecily darted over to the window, cane-sword in hand, as she watched George fall from the roof. He managed to slice the throat of the second Blighter before he fell. George landed on his left arm, and clutched in pain. His scream alerted the two Blighters on the ground. They smiled sadistically as they approached George.

"An Assassin, eh?" The first one retorted, pointing at his Hidden Blade.

"Let's End him here, shall we?"

"Fuck off, both of you!" George spat back at them.

Both of them whipped out their daggers, and cornered him against a building. Sensing danger, Cecily hopped into the wire, walking the tightrope as she made her way over to George. Just was she was about to lose her balance, she flicked out her Hidden Blade, and landed on top of the first Blighter, sinking her blade into the back of his neck. The second Blighter turned around to meet the blade of Cecily's cane-sword entering his throat. After the bodies of the dead Blighters slumped to the ground, Cecily extended her right hand to George. He took her hand, and she lifted him up to his feet. Ethan appeared from behind a building a few moments later.

"Everything alright here?" He asked curiously. "Did you get the documents my love?"

"Indeed." Cecily gestured to her pockets. Ethan flashed a smile of approval. George approached Cecily after dusting himself.

"You are an artist with those blades, Cecily!"

"Anytime, George." Cecily smiled. "You would do the same for me if I was in your spot. Now, let's leave this wretched shithole and return to the Strand."

Ethan and George nodded their heads in agreement, covering their noses from inhaling the smell of putrefaction across the stronghold. They made their way back out of the stronghold, and exhaled, breathing in fresh air. Cecily looked around to see if there always a carriage to hail. She saw a carriage approaching, and stuck her arm out and waved. The driver acknowledged their presence, and pulled up to her.

"Where to, madame?" The driver asked curiously.

"A flat northwest of Trafalgar Square." Cecily replied, as Ethan and George entered the carriage and got themselves comfortable. "With the address of 326."

"I will get you there safe and sound." The driver replied confidently, slicking back his brown hair. Cecily hopped into the carriage and sat beside Ethan. She shut the door as the horses began to trot across the bridge, and carry them back to the Strand, where the three Assassins would plan out their next move.

* * *

 

Cecily sat on the couch, reading over the papers contained in Darver's chest. The papers contained a lot of vital information in regards to the young Starrick. Everything ranging from his date of birth, family records, his years in schooling, work he did with his father, and buying his father's railway company was all in here, except for his current whereabouts. Cecily's eyes scrolled down the next sheet of parchment, where a location stuck out to her.

_Mr. Starrick, the new Grand Master, has moved his residence to the Mansion building at the heart of London itself. Meet him there if you have any business inquiries that you think he may be interested in. -G.D_

Cecily smirked confidently.

Thank you again, Mr. Darver, Cecily thought, as Ethan sat down beside her, clasping his hands.

"Find out his location, my love?" Ethan peered over her shoulder. Cecily looked over to him and smiled.

"He is located at the Mansion building, not too far away from St. Paul's Cathedral. He makes his residence there."

"Interesting." Ethan replied, as he got up off the couch and walked over to George, who was in the process of rolling his sleeve up. His sleeve was rolled up to his elbow, which was bruised deeply, and colored purple. Ethan winced at seeing it.

"That looks pretty nasty George." Ethan informed George, as he continued to examine the bruising.

"Are you able to come with us to end Starrick tonight?" Cecily asked, examining the bruise herself.

"I hate to say it, but I may have to sit behind." George replied, trying to lift his arm up, but failing due to the pain he was in. "I can barely move my arm ever since I injured it."

Cecily let out a deep breath.

"What will you do?"

"Rest up is all I can do." George replied, with a frown. "Hopefully this swelling will go down soon."

"I wish you a speedy recovery, mate."

"Thanks, Ethan." George replied, cracking a smile.

Cecily and Ethan made their way over to the door. As Cecily opened the door, the pair of Assassins heard George's voice again.

"Ethan. Cecily." he began. Cecily and Ethan turned around.

"End him."

Cecily and Ethan nodded their heads, and closed the door behind them, setting their sights on ending Crawford Starrick and the Templar rule over London.

* * *

 

The moon tried to peek its way through the rain clouds as Cecily and Ethan Frye approached the Mansion Building, which served as the residence of the Mayor of London, and the headquarters of Grand Master Crawford Starrick.

Cecily looked up at the facade of the building, looking for a way in. The front door was not an option, as there were two Templar guards watching the entrance.

"Any ideas, Ethan?"

Ethan paused for a few moments, and walked around to the right side of the building. The walk across the street wasn't very hard, as there were very little carriages moving about the street in the evening due to the rainy weather. Cecily crossed the street not long after him. She looked over to Ethan, who was smiling.

"What are you so happy about?" Cecily asked, as she pulled up her hood to protect her hair.

"There's our way in." Ethan replied, pointing up to an open window. "Let's go."

Ethan ran up to the wall and began his climb for the window, effortlessly climbing from ledge to ledge. Cecily followed suit, and climbed up right behind her husband. Once he got into the building, he helped her in by grabbing her hand. Ethan walked up to a billboard on the wall before them.

"Office of Starrick Industries." Ethan muttered, pointing at an arrow which told them to go right. "We've got him now."

Cecily smiled, and accompanied her husband. On their way to Starrick's office, they looked down to see an elegant banquet hall, complete with long tables, six Corinthian pillars, and a chandelier hanging from the roof. As much as she wanted to take in the scenery, she had to focus on the task at hand. As they were walking, Ethan quickly gestured for her to hide behind a pole to her right. Cecily heeded his command, and hid. Ethan pointed out the presence of two Templar guards. Cecily pulled out a throwing knife, and showed it to Ethan. Ethan smiled, and pulled out a throwing knife of his own. Cecily started a countdown. _3,2,1, Go._  Cecily mouthed, as her and Ethan released their throwing knives at the Templar guards. Cecily's throwing knife landed right in between the eyes of the guard on her side. Ethan's ended up in the forehead of the guard on his side. Cecily and Ethan walked up to the two bodies, and pulled out their throwing knives, wiping them free of blood. The pair of Assassins let out a deep breath, as Cecily opened the door, eager to take on Starrick.

* * *

 

Cecily and Ethan entered the room, with Ethan slamming the door behind them. In front of them was the man they called their target. Crawford Starrick, the young Templar Grand Master, had slicked back black hair and a full black beard. Height wise, he wasn't much taller than Cecily. He was wearing a furry black coat that extended down to his knees, and spotted a Templar cross pendant around his neck. At his sides were two brutish men, one bald and another with brown hair and a handlebar moustache. Starrick was the first to break the silence.

"Assassins, in MY office?" He asked in a loud sarcastic tone. "Why on earth would you want to kill me?"

"I think you know why we're here, numpty." Ethan retorted, flicking out his Hidden Blade. The man in front of Ethan flinched.

"We are here to remove the stain in London that bears the name Crawford Starrick!" Cecily exclaimed, flicking out her Hidden Blade as well. "You work with gangs in the underground. You're corrupting politics, and worst of all, separating children from their families to work hellish hours at factories, violating the policies that have been set in stone!"

"...and you claim that everything I do is wrong, just because I am a Templar?" Starrick replied, pulling out a dagger and twirling it in his hands, before sticking it into his desk. "How short-sighted of you Assassins. I'm doing this to make London better than it was. The rate of shipped goods has been steadily increasing since I have taken over, due to to the increased work rates in the factories . And yet you still want to kill me for all the good I have done?"

Before Cecily could open her mouth, Starrick held his hand up, cutting her off.

"Never mind." Starrick groaned. "You won't listen anyways. Kill the man, Eric."

Starrick pointed at Ethan, and elbowed the man to his left in the side, before walking behind his desk. Eric growled as he approached Ethan, who stood stationary. As the man lifted up his weapon to take a swing at Ethan, Ethan stuck his left wrist out, and watched as the blade punctured the throat of his assailant. The man's neck bent back, and fell to the ground as Ethan's blade was withdrawn from his neck. Cecily saw her opportunity to get at Starrick, who was cowering behind his desk. Cecily let out a deep breath, and leaped up onto the dead man's corpse, and leaped out towards Starrick, who covered his head to protect himself from a devastating blow. The blow never came, as Cecily was caught in midair by the bald man before she could unsheathe her Hidden Blade. Cecily kicked and punched the bald man, trying to break free from his tight grip. Ethan tried to intervene, but was swatted away by his hulking right arm. Nearing the window, Cecily started to panic. Before the panic could fully set in, the bald man sent Cecily crashing out the window, and on top of a parked carriage. As soon as Cecily landed on the carriage roof, she felt her head snap back before darkness engulfed her.

* * *

 

"Well done, Cornelius!" Starrick congratulated the bald man.

Ethan, enraged by what he had just seen, let out an angry roar.

Nobody messes with my wife and gets away with it, Ethan thought as he darted over to the bald man named Cornelius, who was still laughing at Cecily, who was laying motionless on top of a carriage roof. Ethan grabbed Cornelius by the waist of his pants, and threw him out the window, watching as he landed on his head short of the carriage. A pool of blood began to form around his head. Ethan turned around to see Starrick standing before him. Ethan held his Hidden Blade at the young Grand Master's throat.

"You have me now, don't you Assassin?" Starrick questioned Ethan, with his hands at his side. "But before you strike me down, let me ask you this. What's more important: Killing me, or tending to your beloved?"

Ethan turned around to glace at the broken window for a few moments, before returning his focus to the young Crawford. Crawford was ready for Ethan, who swatted Ethan's arm away and ran his dagger across his nose in a failed attempt to blind him. Ethan grabbed his nose in pain, with blood seeping from his wound. Before he could get back at Starrick, Starrick dropped a smoke screen, and fled his office while Ethan flailed his arms around in the smoke. Looking around, Ethan could not find the young Grand Master. Ethan let out an angered scream. He walked over to the window, to see Cecily slowly coming to. Ethan leaped out the window, and descended down the side of the building quickly. Ethan walked over to Cornelius' dead body, picked it up, and threw it into a nearby haystack. He walked back over to the carriage to see Cecily, her arms folded across her knees. Cecily looked over to Ethan.

"What happened?" Cecily asked, groaning while she rubbed her head. "Did you kill Crawford Starrick? Also what happened to your nose?"

Ethan looked up into the street lamp, and then back to the ground.

"Well?"

"The prick escaped by distracting me." Ethan replied in a hush tone, helping Cecily down from the carriage roof. "He attempted to blind me with his dagger, resulting in this wound."

"I'm not sure what Mentor Drake is going to think about this." Cecily said, as she placed her hand on the side of the carriage, still a little dizzy after her fall from the second story window. Ethan let out a sigh.

"Let's tell George about what happened first, rest up, and then head back to Crawley tomorrow morning." Ethan replied, as he wrapped his wife's left arm around his shoulders, supporting her as she walked. The rain began to fall heavily, as the pair of Assassins navigated their way back through Central London, back to Arbaaz Mir's residence in the Strand. Halfway through Central London, Cecily began to get a little more dizzy, so Ethan romantically swooped Cecily off of her feet and into his arms. Cecily planted a kiss on Ethan's right cheek. Ethan returned a kiss on her lips, as the pair carried on through the London night.

* * *

 

George Westhouse sat in a chair, sipping on a freshly brewed cup of green tea, listening to the pounding of the rain outside, and reading the local paper. He was in uniform, but without his hidden blade on him. George looked down at his left arm, and noticed that it was still bruised heavily. The bruising was caused by the menacing Blighters, while him, Cecily, and Ethan cleared out the Jacob's Island stronghold to get information on Starrick's whereabouts. Had Cecily not intervened, his arm could have been broken at their hands. The bruising was so severe, it forced George out of action. Just as he was about to sip on his tea some more, George heard a knock at the door. Hesitating for a few moments, George reached for his kukri before making his way over to the door, weapon in hand.

"George! It's me, Ethan!" the voice called. "Let me in please! I'm sick of this rain!"

George peered through peephole, to see his friend Ethan. George unlocked the door, and saw that Ethan was holding Cecily, her arms wrapped around his neck. George could see her chest rising up and down, indicating that she was sleeping in his arms. Ethan walked into the house, and gently placed Cecily on the couch, with her head on a pillow. George handed Ethan a cup of tea, before both men sat down, with Ethan sitting on the floor.

"You look down, Ethan. What happened?"

Ethan looked up with a concerned look clouding his face.

"Everything was going so smoothly, with Cecily and I sneaking in virtually undetected." Ethan began, taking a break to sip on some of his tea. "It all changed when one of Starrick's men grabbed Cecily and threw her out a window and onto a parked carriage. After throwing the second of his guards through a window, I took my chance with Starrick."

"And?" George asked curiously.

"The man distracted me. He distracted me with one question: Would I kill him or tend to my beloved?" Ethan recalled. "I glanced back for a moment, and he tried to blind me with a dagger, resulting in the cut on my nose. As for him, before I could strike him down, the fucker used a smoke screen and escaped. We failed our mission all because of one inadvertent motion. Because of that motion of mine, London remains in Templar hands."

George let out a concerned sigh.

"Mentor Drake isn't going to be thrilled with this at all." George replied sternly. "But, the best thing we can do is rest up, travel to Crawley tomorrow, and be honest with them. Get some rest Ethan, it'll be a long day tomorrow."

Ethan nodded his head in agreement, before getting comfortable behind Cecily, wrapping his left arm around her waist. He planted a kiss on her cheek, and fell asleep, wondering what the three Assassins were going to say to their mentors back in Crawley.

* * *

 

Cecily awoke in the late morning, gently laying Ethan back down on the couch. She could still feel her head ringing from the fall she sustained late last night. According to Ethan, she was grabbed by a big bald man, and thrown out of the third floor window. She would have been dead had she not landed on the roof of a carriage. Cecily saw George, who was wide awake, brewing some more tea.

"Good morning, Cecily." George greeted, as he finished pouring the tea. "Care for some tea?"

"Sure." Cecily replied, as she sat down on the couch. George smiled, and handed her a tea and saucer. George was a master at brewing tea. He knew all the types and everyone's favorite flavors. Cecily blew on her tea gently, to cool it down. She looked down into the cup to see that George made her a cup of green tea, while George made himself some chamomile tea. George sat at the edge of the couch, careful to not wake up Ethan.

"Ethan tells me that Crawford Starrick is still out there." George stated, as he sipped on his tea as well. "He also told me that you got thrown out of a window and on to a carriage."

"Both are correct." Cecily replied, she strapped on her Assassin Gauntlet. "Ethan got distracted by Starrick after I got thrown out the window. I don't know much more after that."

Cecily blew on her tea again before taking another sip. George looked over to her with a concerned look on his face.

"What do you think Mentor Drake is going to say about these events, Cecily?"

Cecily placed her teacup back on the saucer. "Let Ethan do the talking. He knows much more about what happened than I do."

"Let Ethan do what now?"

Cecily turned around to see Ethan rubbing sleep out of his eyes. He followed that up with a yawn.

"You're going to be doing the talking when we talk to the Council in Crawley." George responded, finishing his tea. Just as George finished his tea, a carriage pulled up to the front of the residence. "You'd better get ready, Ethan."

Ethan yawned again, and ran his hands through his hair. Before Cecily knew it, Ethan was out the door, and standing by the carriage. Cecily smiled at her husband as she finished off the last of her tea. She placed the teacup on the saucer, and walked it over to the counter, and placed it next to George's teacup. Cecily then walked out to join the two men. She saw that Ethan was already in the carriage, while George was standing outside the carriage, talking with the driver. Upon seeing Cecily walk out, the driver, who was slim and wore a rather elegant suit with a black hat covering his bald head, opened the door and bowed towards Cecily. George assisted her into the carriage, just in case she fell. George gave the driver a few shillings, and whispered the word 'Crawley' to the driver. The driver smiled as George got into the carriage and made himself comfortable, closing the door behind him. Cecily looked over to Ethan, who was leaning up against the side sleeping. Cecily smiled sarcastically at her husband, before returning her focus to George.

"Crawley awaits." George whispered sternly, as the carriage began to move, slowly making its way through the Strand. Both of the Assassins exchanged looks of nervousness towards each other. Due to the streets not being very busy in the morning, the carriage containing the three Assassins was out of the city within twenty short minutes, on their way back to Crawley to tell their Mentors about their failure to kill Crawford Starrick in London.

* * *

 

Cecily let out a long deep breath, as did George and Ethan behind her. Cecily banged on the door of the Goff Mansion, hoping for someone to answer rather quickly. The door opened slowly, and standing before them was Master Assassin Michelle Halen.

"Welcome back, you three." She said, with a stern tone of voice. "Mentors Drake and Richardson would like to speak with you downstairs."

Cecily gulped as she walked into the house. The three Assassins slowly made their way down the flight of stairs, which felt like a mile to Cecily. Once they got to the bottom, they were greeted by their mentors, Liam Drake and Daniel Richardson. Both of them were smiling.

"Cecily. Ethan. George. Welcome back. How did things go in London?" He said, nodding his head at the three of them.

Cecily took another deep breath, watching as the candles flickered on the table. George continued to clutch his left arm in pain.

"I'll let Ethan explain." Cecily replied, allowing Ethan to step up to the front of the table. Ethan cleared his throat.

"We...we failed to kill Crawford Starrick. London still remains in Templar hands."

Daniel Richardson spat out his pipe, with tobacco landing on the table. Liam Drake returned a look of disgust towards the three Assassins.

"How in God's name did you fail to kill him?" Liam asked angrily. "What all happened?"

"Well, George got injured at Jacob's Island.." Ethan began, before Liam cut him off.

"No not there, you simpleton. I can see George got hurt, but tell us why you didn't kill Crawford Starrick!"

Ethan let out a deep breath, whereas George returned a glare back at Liam.

"Very well. He was there with two guards. I dispatched the first one cleanly, but as Cecily went after Starrick, the second guard grabbed her and threw her out the third floor window. Starrick distracted me with a question. I looked away for a brief moment, and as I returned, he attempted to blind me. As pain engulfed me, he fled his office by way of a smoke screen."

Liam rolled his eyes.

"How is that even possible?" Liam questioned. "You got bested by a nineteen year old?"

"Looks like another wasted opportunity." Daniel retorted.

"Had I not gotten thrown through the window, Starrick would not be alive!" Cecily shouted.

"Take better action, and don't be so brash next time, Cecily." Liam groaned. "All because of one action of Ethan's, London is still under Templar rule. Our best shot in seventy-five years, gone."

"Would you react the same way if your wives got thrown through a window?" George added angrily, supporting his friend. He got an angry glare from Daniel. Ethan contributed with a smirk.

"What the damn hell did you just say?" Daniel questioned George in an angered tone.

"Enough!" Liam bellowed, holding up his arms. "I do know one thing. That thing is this. Cecily, Ethan, and George. The three of you will not be going on anymore missions to London. When the time is right, another Assassin will be sent in your places. Return to your quarters, the three of you. I do not want to see your faces for the rest of the evening. Understood?"

George nodded his head, and was the first to go back to his quarters, hanging his head. Liam glared at Cecily and Ethan, and gestured them to leave his sight. Ethan angrily stormed off, with Cecily right behind him, glaring back sternly at her mentor.

Ethan sat on their bed, throwing his gauntlet down to the ground.

"All because of one action of mine, London is under Templar control. God damn it!"

Ethan began to peel off his clothes, and throw them to the ground angrily. He proceeded to crawl into their bed, and turned away from her.

"Ethan."

Ethan briefly turned over, but turned back away.

Cecily sat on the bed, and placed her hand on his shoulder, turning him around.

"I shouldn't have acted so brash."

Ethan looked up to see his wife looking dejected. Ethan placed his hand on her face, and looked into her eyes.

"I personally don't think you acted too brash, Cecily. You almost had him too, had it not been for that hulking brute." He said, pressing his forehead against hers."I could have ended him, but I looked away and thought of you, worried that you could have died. He could have London. All I need is you, Cecily Frye."

Before Cecily could respond, Ethan kissed her passionately on the lips. Cecily returned the kiss, and smiled passionately at her husband. She got herself comfortable in bed. She draped her arm across her husband's chest, and fell asleep with him, knowing that even if their mission failed, they still had each other, and nothing would separate the bond they had for each other.


End file.
